Lockdown continues. It is week 4 or 5 or whatever, depending on how to count it. Vulnerable have had to stay indoors others are allowed an hour of bike or walk or run… in any case it is tough for everyone. The days just sort of merge into each other. Easter day was a lovely sunny weird day.

The government food parcel arrived, again. I am trying to stop that. Again it was chocolate cereal, spam, etc. Inferior loo roll this week. I applaud the sentiment and am trying to pass on to those more deserving. 
After my attempt to learn elementary dentistry last week. I pronounce myself a glorious failure. The filling I so carefully constructed fell out. I have attempted further dentistry with little success!
This week I revisited my elementary plumbing qualification. A leak in  the bathroom, water appearing downstairs. I managed to get the cover of the inbuilt cistern off. Note to self. Never, ever, get built in cisterns. The soaking wet flooring seemed to be coming from the down pipe . Rather than the in pipe. (  A technical term I made up!). Realising my inadequate skills I rang our service agreement with British Gas. Unlike medical insurance, they readily understood the issue, despite previous history of similar, no arguments. In addition such are the new data sharing agreements, my ‘ extremely vulnerable ‘ status, meant they insisted on coming that very day, as an emergency. Wow. Indeed by 9.00 pm an exhausted looking young man , eyes peeping over his mask, gloves on, foot protectors on, appeared, fixed it all and departed. Refusing all offers of chocolate, drink or anything. Amazing. 

Also amazing is Saintly gp who rang. He wanted to check I was alright, did I need anything? Was I shielding? Was I ok?. How the hell he found time, I have no idea. It gave me the opportunity to sort out the msu testing issue. Easily solved. Why the hell his bloody rottweiller receptionist did not tell me there is a sample box at the back of the surgery, take it, label it bung it in a bag. Sorted. FFS. D took that today as another bug threatens.

GP is leading the initiatives here in primary care. His new found power to close surgeries to all but covid patients, to instruct the council to open a car park for drive through testing, to order kits, ppe and video conferencing equipment has transformed the local area. Hopefully for ever dispensing with jobs-worth bureaucracy. Indeed he was so thrilled with the video stuff he has acquired for consultations, he asked if we could try it out. Which we did. Amazing. 
Even more amazing are the efforts of Jerome. He is updating the world, by social media, forever trying to post uplifting thoughts and ideas, his experiences have included visiting the Nightingale hospital, arranging teams, working on his day off in ITU to help turn the poor patients. His horror at the situation is evidenced by his anger at large groups gathering in parks and spaces on his bike ride home. Flatten the curve. Stay safe. Not everyone seems to get that message. 

Meanwhile home is busy. Wierdly so. Helping the charity I am a trustee for, to set up online accounting, set up cash flows, consider furloughing . Its at least something I can do to help.

I must finish here to get zooming into France for amazing sunny pilates. Then its a whats app bridge lesson! I don’t think I will be amazing!

After a chat to little O by facetime. As he tells me…..’Maaaazinnggg Gaggag’ . My Gaga name still sticks. Which is very uplifting to know, not least because BFG gave me some SuperGa trainers! at Christmas. In a weird coincidence twitter feeds from the heroic nhs front line posted a photo which have included a random clutter of phones and coke bottles and a shoe box behind. ‘SuperGa’ shoes no less.

More anon. Keep safe flatten the curve. See you on the other side.